I just submitted a scenario I’ll be running at UCon in November. I’m running it once each day. Again with Delving Deeper rules.
Monthly Archives: August 2025
Card Game Update
The long awaited publication of my card game is nearing the final stretch!
I have contracted with the artist Michael Perrotta for card art that is more in line with the awesome layout and design I received a few months ago.
The plan is for crowdfunding, most likely Kickstarter, to run in the month of October, 2025, with delivery via DriveThruCards in November.
My hope is to have the final game in hand in time for UCon in November, 2025. I will definitely have it in hand for Gary Con 18 in March, 2026. The initial splash of the game was at Gary Con 10 where I brought my rough idea and after three games had workable rules. More playtesting identified rules clarifications and edge cases.
I am so grateful for everyone that has enjoyed my game. To come up with a card game that works and people want to play is the greatest reward of all.
I don’t yet have all the tiers figured out, nor what the cost of a single deck will be for either the Kickstarter or for those who wait until after to get it from DriveThruCards. Shipping will be up to each person.
I plan to have copies of the game with me at the next con I attend closest to completion of publication.
Options For Stretch Goals:
Playtesters are divided on the original art used for the playtest decks. It was either they liked it and though it was good enough, or their first comment was, “You need better art.” So one stretch goal would be to open up the playtest deck with cleaned up art and layout.
Some though that some of my art that I did on the very first playtest deck would be fun for a “Larry’s Art” version of the game. I can make this a stretch goal, and if people really want it, it will happen.
Rules:
The rules will be in PDF and include all those involved in design, art, layout, and all the playtesters and Kickstarter Backers.
I will look into a printer option for the rules.
I plan to have videos showing how the game is played and for responses to questions on the listing at DriveThruCards.
Planning:
I’ve looked into Kickstarter back when I thought it would be quick to do a Kickstarter. I did my own research, and have read most, if not all of what Kevin Crawford, of Sine Nomine Publishing, has shared about how he runs his Kickstarters.
My friend, Ryan Thompson, of Appendix N Entertainment, who has run multiple Kickstarters, some that have fulfilled in 2025. He has graciously agreed to advise me and help me avoid the gotchas.
In my experience backing 111 Kickstarters since 2014, I want to avoid the pain and frustration I have felt from poorly planned, executed, and communicated. I have the rules and layout template done. All that remains is the final art, and final layout of the cards and rules. While the artist works on art, I will work on the final layout for the rules. My goal is to make this Kickstarter a success. If it happens to be a runaway hit, or at least exceed my expectations for funding, I don’t want anything to slow it down.
If you’ve ever worked on a big project, you know that the final stages and “crossing the finish line” are the hardest. That is one reason it has been almost eight years since the initial playtest premiered at Gary Con 10.
Anyone who has offered to help me publicize my Kickstarter, I will be reaching out to take you up on that offer.
Elevator Pitch:
My card game is inspired by situations from RPGs, mostly D&D over the decades I have played it. The game is for 2 to 6 players. Each player builds an army and uses monster or situation cards to “attack” their opponents and improve their forces. The biggest army (most points) wins.
Here’s a sample of the Infantry card:
Here’s the layout design with the art used in the playtest decks:
What about other games?
I have ideas for the core of the rules for other themed games that will vary the genre and rules to fit the genre. I have ideas for a western variation, and several others.
Also doing different editions of the original game by different artists might happen if I get enough from this Kickstarter to help fund it.
Some of my ideas may lead to board games.
Of course, I will still continue sharing my RPG ideas and publishing my convention adventures and supplements.
If this Kickstarter is successful and I make enough money to continue with variations, this would be ideal for a side business to pursue in my retirement. I’m crunching the numbers to see if I can retire from my current day job at then end of 2026. If my pension, 401K, and Social Security are enough, then I might actually be able to do it.
That would be the dream, freedom to game and create and no job to use up my energy and creativity. The only drawback would be the number of conventions I could attend.
Suggestions To Artists Responding To Calls For Art
I am not an artist, nor do I make a living from my hobby business —although that is the pipe dream.
As someone who recently put out a call for artists for my card game across my social media and has been inundated with responses, here are some suggestions that would make sorting through them all more helpful to me and more likely that I will pick you.
I replied to or edited my various social media posts to add some clarifications. For future calls for artists, I will definitely include that information up front as that will help artists determine if an inquiry is worth their time, etc.
NOTE: If any working artists have any additions or corrections to these suggestions, I will gladly amend this post.
1.) Have a portfolio page that showcases your art by categories.
If you are just getting started your portfolio will be small. But breaking it down by category lets those looking for an artist know what sort of art they can expect.
Breaking art down by categories makes it easier to see if you might be a good fit.
Some how have reached out only seem to have their art on Instagram, which is just a stream of images and it is hard to tell what categories you work in.
If you draw portraits, character portraits, landscapes, scenes, etc. give it some categories. Also, if you work in only certain media, make that clear.
Take a look at other artists portfolio sites and see what categories they use and if there is a category no one else has, then you may have a new niche you can become the go to artist.
For example, some artists have experience doing Twitch specific art. While that isn’t a card game, I’m renewing my efforts on Twitch, so I will be reaching out to them once I get the card game project into the final stages.
2.) Have a general price sheet.
List the types of things you’ve done and give a fair price for your time, etc.
Don’t let prospective clients lowball you. There should be fair payment for good work.
Explain what you do to get to a final result. For example, initial sketch of idea, final image with X changes, any differences for line art verses full color, etc. Do you require a specific amount up front?
3.) Indicate what methods of payment work for you.
For example, I only send money via PayPal and will not be adding a new method as that just makes things more complex for me. I will make that clear in future requests for art.
One artist that contacted me only accepted payment in some app I’d never heard of. If you only accept one form of payment, make that clear.
If you live in a different country than the person requesting the art, understand how that may affect payment and delivery of the art. Digital art probably won’t be an issue. However, I believe some countries may not allow PayPal.
4.) Ask clarifying questions to help us asking for art do a better job of explaining a project.
As mentioned, when a creator puts out a call for art, we should include enough information to let artists know if this is a job for them.
New Project/Reviving Patreon
I’ve been side tracked from gaming for too long. Work and other things have left me no energy and no enthusiasm for working on any of my various game related endeavors whether it’s my home campaign, this blog, YouTube, my podcast, or planning the next scenario to run at conventions.
I’m working on an idea that’s been rattling around my skull for a couple of years. I’ve had one initial start on it and did another brain dump about it trying to wrap my head around a nebulous idea for my next adventure for UCon in November.
I took a notebook out for a super late lunch as I finally had enough uninterrupted time to knock off a backlog of issues at work. I made notes about my idea and it is something that others may find useful and will help me with future planning.
What the Heck is This Idea? You buried the lede, again….
I have an idea for a campaign framework/builder that will both help me tie together the bulk of the fantasy scenarios I’ve run at cons and be a potential product to put up on DriveThruRPG.
The campaign world idea is for an ocean world with many archipelagos containing islands of all size. It would show some specifics of the general ideas in my World Building Cheat Sheet, with tables for generating various archipelagos and the islands they contain. The campaign world idea would be something to locate my adventures I run at cons and eventually put on DriveThruRPG. The generators would enable others to tweak the setting I create or make their own setting.
I could even expand the framework/builder to cover building any type of world, but that is beyond the original scope.
This idea will also contain a mini campaign I ran on Roll20 for about a dozen sessions and other ideas that don’t fit into my home campaign. I even have an idea for how to work in a West Marches campaign idea I want to run.
But you’ve said in the past that you have an idea and it never materializes
True, but it hit me how I can make this actually happen. If I make a commitment to an actual schedule, I can make it happen. For the Wednesday night Roll20 game I play in we are on the 3rd campaign since March, 2014. I was the only player to make every game of the first campaign. I had to drop out of the second campaign after about a dozen sessions for a family issue, but came back for the last dozen sessions. For the current campaign, I was on track to make every session, but about 6 weeks ago, work left me with a killer headache, so I missed one session.
I will commit to once a week, ever Friday night to stream on Twitch from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern to share my work as I transcribe scribbled notes, build tables, and develop ideas as I work my convention scenarios into this world. I will start tonight (Friday, August 8, 2025 as close to 8pm Eastern as possible.)
These scenarios already exist in a nebulous “convention world” in my mind. In my mind’s eye I can see how they can each fit into one or more of the archipelagos I envision for this more organized campaign world.
In addition to Twitch streaming, I will post updates and actual PDFs for Patrons on Patreon. I will also blog about progress and eventual PDFs on DriveThruRPG. This will also lead to something on YouTube and my podcast.
But what about the card game?
I know that the card game has been dragging on. I got a fantastic layout for the cards, but now it far exceeds the art I have. I don’t want to use AI as many I know would not buy it if I did, let alone I don’t support AI for what it has done to the artists it stole from. Unless there is an ethical AI trained on public domain art and public domain text, I will have no part in it.
So the search is on for an artist. Any artists who want to do art for my card game can hit me up. There are 40 unique card types, so I need 40 pieces of art.
I have funds set aside to pay, it just depends on how much it costs. This will control how quickly I can release the game. Ideally, I’d love to have it available at Gary Con in March, 2026. But anytime sooner is better.
There is a possibility of some form of crowdfunding, but details are forthcoming.
If I am active online in some game development capacity, I am more likely to get traction on locating an artist to do this art. It needs to be color art that matches the look and feel of the layout I have. It is powerful and really does something for the game. That is one skill I do not have.
If you are an artist or know an artist who might be interested, please contact me.
Why is it different this time?
My day job has used up too much of my time, creativity, and patience. I got a great raise and some new responsibilities this year. I am now the team lead, but my team, and me have been jerked around by the whims of the corporate life of a publicly traded company.
My desire it to retire at the end of 2026, but it depends on a few factors. I’ll be 62, the minimum age to draw Social Security. However, my house isn’t paid for and I have some other debt. If I can clear my other debt, I think I can still manage my house payment. Worse case scenario, I’d either have to sell my house – then try to figure out where the heck I’d live. Or I’d have to keep working another year or two.
I’m tired of using up all my mental and creative energy solving constant problems at work. It has been made clear to me that continuing to do so will not reward me with more time to game or express my creative ideas, so I am putting a stop to giving too much to the day job.
One thing I have considered it getting a second job to clear my debts, etc.
But then it hit me, I have an LLC I created for Follow Me, And Die! Entertainment, LLC. Why not see what I can do to both have more time with my hobby and make some money. At a minimum, I can actually do something about sharing the many ideas I have for the game. If I can make a little money, even better.
So What’s The Schedule for This?
I will commit to every Friday on Twitch from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern. I may to longer, or start sooner, or stream on additional days. I will announce if circumstances require me to miss a Friday.
This starts tonight for the first session. It will be disorganized for this first session, but I don’t want to lose momentum. I have less than an hour to post this, announce it across my socials, and locate my initial types notes to transcribe my notes I made at the restaurant.
So come join me! I welcome an opportunity to share ideas and answer questions.